Kemp named NL Player of the Week

By Joey Nowak / MLB.com

After leading the Majors with six runs scored and tying for the big league lead with eight RBIs and 14 total bases, Dodgers center fielder Matt Kemp was named the National League Player of the Week for the first week of the season.

Kemp hit .412 (7-for-17) in four games, and his two homers and seven hits were both tied for third in the NL, while his .824 slugging percentage was seventh.

He became the first Dodger to record three consecutive multihit games to begin a season since Adrian Beltre accomplished the feat in 2000. Kemp collected a hit in each of Los Angeles' first four contests.

Kemp owns a 16-game hitting streak dating back to last season, and helped the Dodgers out to the club's first 3-0 start since 1999.

The slugger went 2-for-5 with three RBIs and a two-run homer on Opening Day, before following that up with a 2-for-4 performance in the second game of the four-game set against the Padres. He had two RBIs in the third game of the series, and hit his second homer of the year in Sunday's 8-4 loss to San Diego.